Batty Beast
by Hallows07
Summary: A young woman (OC) tackles the desert after a catastrophic event leaves her homeless and alone. However, the environment should be the least of her worries. Ignorant of the real dangers, she unknowingly attempts to find shelter among the un-dead. A recently changed, injured and starved Black Hat makes for his first feed. Not a romance. One-shot (until further notice).


**Batty Beast**

I had been travelling through the desert for three days when I came across that batty beast.

* * *

I had seen snow once. I was very little at the time, I think about four years old. We had been moving from the north, because the winters were growing too harsh and food became rather scarce. Everyone was moving at that time. We travelled south and created a village east of the Ninth District. I grew up and lived there, in Caelum.

Caelum was settled atop a mountainside, overlooking the Ninth District. There were many green trees, colourful vine fruits and numerous clear green streams sloping downhill. The area was enchanting.

The wind would whistle, the cold bite and the frost would claw down into my body with each breath. Despite the harsh weather, wildlife thrived and many of the streams poured over the edges of cliffs and took flight. It was a surreal place to grow up. Rainbows would often perch alongside the sky-streams and follow them down into deep dark voids inside the mountain. Then, further down, the streams would appear again. Water would emerge, soaking the grasses and sparkling in the bright sunlight. The grass would glow, as it bathed. There were often very large white clouds. They would travel close to the mountain side and I used to reach out my hands and clasp them when I was truly young. They had been wet. They had been light in weight. Caelum was magical.

As i grew older, eighteen, i longed more for something... something that i could not grasp.

* * *

I walked along my usual trail.

I was out the door, ten paces down the hill and then off the main path. Looking about, I certified there were no witnesses. To my right was a wooden fence, blocking a sharp fall down into a gorge that housed a thin trickle of water. One would not believe such a pitiful stream could lead to the waterfall that raged, spilling out in the centre of the village by the church further down the mountain. Directly before me was the pathway down to the centre and behind was the trail upwards to my mother's home, the goat farmer's land and a multitude of windmills above at the very top of the mountain. To my left… to my left was a rickety stone wall, about waist height. Beyond it was arched wooden stands, which was overrun with grapevines. I grabbed at the wooden arch and breached the wall, hiding amongst the greenery.

Farmer Vinum needed not to know that I often sneaked through his land, tip-toeing through the narrow arches and tugging various grapes free of their stems, shoving them into my right jacket pocket. I brushed back apple tree branches and slowly made my way further into the side of the mountain. A very large sheet of stone leapt out of the mountainside above Farmer Vinum's land. It sheltered his goods and kept them warm. I gazed up at the ceiling, as I clambered beneath the shadow. The whistling ceased suddenly and the 'tap, tap' echo of my heeled boots followed.

* * *

This was my ritual. This was my everyday runaway from reality. Reality was so boring, Caelum lacked the excitement i wanted... though truly i was unsure as to what i did want.

* * *

Closer I went to the side of the mountain until my fingertips grazed the jagged walls. Layers of yellow, orange, various browns and a distinct black diagonally sailed down from the corner of the ceiling to the very floor. Large cracks zigzagged downwards and smooth shelves jutted out every now and then. I could feel them, as I walked with my left hand pressed to the cool stone. Eventually I reached the abyss.

Darkness crept out towards me. Taking a deep breath, I plunged, holding tightly to the sleeves of my dark green jacket. I knew the exit was not far. The walls and the floor I travelled along were not visible to my eyes, but the scratching's of small nails and squeaks reminded me that there were those inside that could see very well. I was not fond of bats, but I braved them each day to get through. Admittedly, I commonly crawled along the mucky path to avoid the winged devils.

I did not like their yellow eyes, peering at me from the gloom. I detested those fangs, peeking out from between their red gums and the claws that scraped against the stone. The screech hurt my ears and I clasped desperately at them, willing the noise away as it ricocheted within the narrow alleyway inside the mountain.

Soon enough, a ray of light fought through the shadows and warmed my skin. As I stepped out, shielding my eyes temporarily, I expected to find peace in Silvae.

Caelum was divine, but Silvae offered privacy. I cherished that silence above all else. Running from people and responsibility, Silvae was my sanctuary.

Silvae was alight.

A fire brewed. It grew, consuming the golden branches of glossy pears and touching upon the roots of climbing wild-flowers. I cried out, stepping back into the shade and disregarding the shifting sound of the drowsy bats. My brown eyes did not falter. I watched, as the thick substance gobbled up the exotic foliage. It poured over itself, regurgitating flames. My nose scrunched up at the smell. The taste of rotten eggs lathered onto my tongue, as I coughed on the rising soot.

Noticing the haste with which it ran, I also ran - ran away. Ran back through the tunnel and out onto Farmer Vinum's land. I heard him shout after me, but being sighted was no longer a worry. I called back over my shoulder, but was no doubt misheard.

I never saw him again.

The fire followed. Nothing quenched the thirst of the beast. Farmer Vinum's land was drowned in flames within moments, as I hastily vacated the area. I intended to go home and notify my mother, father and little brother, but at the sight of the cloud – the column that rose and towered over my mighty mountain, I ran down. I followed the trail of that pitiful stream, pitiful myself.

The guilt did not hit me until the second day away from that place.

I had left farmer Vinum, my family, the entire village. I had known every one of them and yet as I ran through the centre, passing by the frothing waterfall, I ignored the people. People that had been buying hats, selling flowers and drinking wine (no doubt produced on Farmer Vinum's land).

The shock had prevented the reality from penetrating my mind. The happening whizzed about outside, replaying before my eyes, but it did not compute until that second day in the desert.

* * *

I thought back to the event, sitting, curled up with my arms locked round my shins. I did not wish to make a fire, but the desert was cold at night. The first night I would have frozen if not for a shawl I happened upon on the outskirts of Caelum. I did not want to make a fire… having to watch the heated dancing.

Sleeping by animated flames was frightening. When I glanced back towards Caelum the column cloud still stood, imposing a shadow upon even the Ninth District. The Ninth District was a very powerful city, but the poofy cloud reached up, seemingly attempting to breach heaven itself.

Throughout the night I slept very little, constantly looking back. I hoped to see someone walking towards me. That never came to be, but I did see upon various glances that clouds would emerge from the column and travel down the mountain. They looked to be land clouds, similar to those that I used to see from the mountain. They travelled along the desert and twirl. These were larger though, more spiteful, pushing downwards and colouring everything they touched a shade of grey.

After starting a fire and rubbing my dry hands together, cringing as they cracked, I began to realise that my life was gone. I had run. If there had been survivors, they would not know I was alive. After all, I knew not if they were... if there really were. I should have run for the Ninth District, yet there I was tackling with the desert. I was alone.

Out in the desert on a cold dark evening with only a shawl set alight for warmth was not ideal. The cloth burned quickly and I had not grabbed any provisions in my shock. Luckily I did have twigs that had muddled my hair and an old snapped match in the back pocket of my trousers. The grapes I had taken whilst sneaking through Farmer Vinum's land were beginning to deteriorate and would not last into the third day… much like the remains of the crisping shawl.

I thought i would cry first, but I was sick. Tears escaped me as I threw up the grapes of the day before. My nose began to bleed due to the pain and pressure. Snot trickled down to the cracks in the ground alongside my vomit. My hands were bloody also, the skin cracking much like the arid surface. I cringed, spat and blew my nose on the bottom of my once white shirt.

Hissing as the material scratched against the wounds on my hands, I glared up at the sky. The column cloud was beginning to spread and engulf the stars. Sighing, I picked myself up from kneeling over the waste and doused the fire. If I were to survive I would need water and preferably food, as well as something warmer to wear. I shook my head and raked my hands through my hair. It hurt, but it distracted me. Distractions like that would hopefully keep me focused – keep me sane.

Travelling through the night, shivering, I came upon a more than welcome sight. In the gloom I could only just see it. It was in fact there. It was not nearly as tall as the mountain I originated from, but there were numerous gaps within it that would no doubt shelter me from the bitter wilderness.

It was not far. The starless night distorted my vision, but already the path had begun to incline.

My boots loudly scuffed against the gravel, blood staining the tops of my trousers and the sleeves and chest of my jacket and the collar of my shirt. After attempting to brush away strands of my hair from my sight, I was suspicious that my cheeks and forehead may also have been stained. My nose had stopped bleeding a while ago, but my throat and eyes were sore.

My body involuntarily quivered, as a chilly breeze brushed across the desert. It picked up sand. Grains pounded against my clothes. I hastily pulled the hood of my jacket up, struggling with the wind. The earthly scraps battered the material and my ears were emerged in the depths of the chattering.

Stumbling, I reached out a hand. I cried out and stared down at the rocky ground. Slowly, I pulled my hand away from the gravel and peered at the clotting blood.

A very small, somewhat grey flake fell upon my palm.

A stark contrast to the blood and small blackened pebbles, I stared. The snowflake did not melt, but then I felt so cold myself. Remaining strong, even as I poked and prodded, the flake fell from my hand and perched upon the hillside by my kneecap. It was then I noticed the burning, the blood. The result of my clumsy fall soaked through my trousers and I hissed, grabbing at my legs.

Dark clouds brimmed above.

"How wonderful," a low purr interrupted.

A shrouded spectre firmly grasped my arms, leaning down to stare into my eyes, "A darling all alone. What is your name?" Golden eyes glared down at me.

His gaze was lustful, but it was not the hunger plastered over the dark hatted man's visage that forced a shudder from me. Those all-seeing eyes, so much like those of the rodents that clung to the ceiling of the tunnel that I passed through to reach Silvae. This stranger was like that… scary.

We stared at one another, both of us heavily breathing. His nose softly brushed my own. He was covered with blood. His clothes were more tattered than my own and he gasped with pale parched lips. As the iron smell lingering upon his breath confronted my own nose, it scrunched up. I backed away, brows drawn together. This figure before me looked similarly to what one would expect of a corpse. Admittedly, I unlikely appeared to be in a better condition myself.

I gasped, as his grip tightened upon my arms. There was no backing away. Though seemingly half-dead, he held me securely. Cringing, i tugged my arms away. A useless attempt, but any other in my place would have done the very same. He was a man gone mad.

Repeating himself, tone lighter, "Your name darling."

"My name is Hesperides." I hoarsely replied. His lips lengthened. Sneering down at me, the tips of his fangs glistening despite the lack of starlight, he dragged me closer. Fangs... I knew then. Truly, he was batty.

He was going to eat me.

* * *

Throughout those eighteen years i knew not what it was that i wanted from life.

I would never know, but with this new existence... i became aware that living like that batty beast was not what i longed for. I would not seek him out. However, if we happened to cross paths again, if the opportunity arose, killing him would greatly gladden me.

* * *

_Author's Note: This is a VERY old one-shot i found. Thought i'd stick it up. Honestly, i'm kind of tempted to expand on it (take it into the movie), but at the same time... i'm a bit put off, if only because i've not written for this in a long time and i doubt the characters could be portrayed as they should._

_Still unsure, maybe i will revisit when i have more time and inspiration._


End file.
